Ignition device



A. ERICKSON.

IGNITION DEVlCE APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1917.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

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qwi imaoo A. ERICKSON.

usumon DEVICE.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 25 1917- Patented Oct. 7,1919.

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31mm "tot UNITED STATES PATENT onnrou.

ALBERT ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '7, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT EmoKsoN, a citizen of the United States, reslding at 948 Addison street, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented.

certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Devices, of which th following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in ignition devices and more particularly to the ope 'ating mechanism for a generator operating to produce sparks in proper time for firing a gas engine.

An object of the invention is to provide means for driving the flux shifting member of the generator which includes a spring and devices carried by and movablewith the flux shitting member which devices cooperate with a fixed abutment for retarding the flux shifting member and compressing the spring whereby when said devices are released the spring may momentarily operate the flux shifting member for producing a spark.

A further object of the invention is to provide devices of the above character with means for rendering the same inoperative when the speed of the flux shifting member reaches a predetermined point.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the. drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a view showing a portion of a magneto or generator in side elevation and my improved driving mechanism therefor in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a. view similar to-Fig. 2, but showing the retard device released so that the spring may drive the flux shifting member Fig. l is a sectional View on the line H of Fig. 1 and showing the parts at the instant in which the retard device becomes effective and liz etore the spring is con'ipressed;

Fig. 5 is a similar view but showing the spring compressed and the retarding device just as it is released:

Fig. (3 is an end view of the driving device detached from the machine: and

Fig. T is a detail showing more or less diagrammatically the make and break mechanism.

The invention consists broadly in an operating mechanism for a generator for producing current for sparks for gas engines. The, flux shitting member which may be of any desired type is normally rotated continuously for producing current. If, however, the flux shifting member drops below a predetermined speed through the slowing down of the engine, the ignition current will drop from maximum decreasing the efiiciency of the ignition.

The present invention is directed more particularly to a driving means for the flux shitting member which operates said flux shitting member at a greater speed than the driving member therefor at the time of producing maximum ignition current for sparking purposes when the speed of the engine is slowed down below a predetermined point and is not sufficient to produce said desired maximum current.

This driving mechanism includes a spring which is located between the driving memher and the flux shifting member and serves to comn'iunicate the movement of the driving member to the flux shifting member.v carried by the flux shifting member is a device adapted to "cooperate with a fixed abutment for retarding the flux shifting member and compressing said spring. This device is released from the abutment after the spring is compressed to a certain point by a cam movable with the driving member and this spring operates for momentarily driving the flux shifting member so that it is operated at a greater speed than that of the drivin member and in proper time for the spark tor ignition. This device which retards the flux shitting member is controlled by centrifugally operated members also mounted onand movable with the flux shi'ft ing member. These centriiiugally controlled members are attached to the retarding device and operate to hold the. same out of engagement with the abutment when the speed of the arn'iat-ure or flux reaches a point so that the current generated is amply sufiicient for producing eflicient ignition.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, I have shown the generator at G. Said generator may be of any of the usual high tension types including a primary and secondshitting member ary coil. The flux shifting member is carried by the shaft 1 and may be either a wound armature or in the form of a flux shifting rotor.

The armature is operated by a driving member 2, which is secured to a coupling 3 on the end of the main driving shaft 4. This main driving shaft 4 is operated in proper timing with the main shaft of the engine when the generator is used for producing ignition current. The driving memher 2 is in the form of a sleeve fitting loosely within a driven member 5 which is keyed to the shaft 1 and held thereon by suitable nuts 6. The driven member is formed with a sleeve 7 and freely mounted on this sleeve 7 is the sleeve 8 of the driving member 2. The driving member 2 is provided with a stud 9. The driven member is provided with an inwardly projecting stud 10. Located between the studs 9 and 10 is a driving spring 11 on one side thereof and a buffer spring 12 on the other side thereof. The driving stud 9 operates the driven member through the spring 11. This spring isof sufficient tension so that it will be under little or no compression during the normal rotation of the flux shifting member.

Carried by the driven member is a sliding latch 13. This sliding latch is provided with diametrical projections 11 and 15, while the body portion of the latch is substantially of ring form and surrounds the sleeve 8 of the driving member. The inner surface of the ring shaped body portion is provided with two cams 16 and 17 which are diametrically disposed. relative to each other. The driving member 2 is provided with two projecting cams 18 and 19. The projections 14 and 15 extend outwardly through slots in the driven member. The frame of the magneto G is formed with a shoulder 20. This shoulder is so disposed relative to the driven member as to be engaged by one of the projections 1a or 15 when said projection extends to its maximum distance beyond the outer surface of the driven member. The driven member is rotated in the direction of the arrow as indi ated in Figs. 2 and 3. When the driving stud is in the position shown in Fig. 4 and the spring 11 is free from compression, the cams 18 and 19 take the position shown in Fig. 2 relative to the cams 16 and 17. That is, they are out of contact therewith. lVhen in this position. the latch 13 will drop by gravity so one of the projecting ends thereof will engage the shoulder 20. This position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 of the draw ings. When the latch is in engagement with the shoulder 20, then the driven member will be held from rotation and the driving stud will move to the position shown in Fig. 3, compressing 'the sprin 11. During this movement, however. of the driving member,

the cam 18 will be brought around into on gagement with the cam 16 on the latch and will lift the latch so to release the same from the shoulder. As soon as this latch is released then the spring 11, expanding will force the flux shifting member forward at great speed and produce the proper maximum current for ignition purposes.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings, I have shown one form of make and break mechanism which is operated by the armature shaft 1. Said make and break mechanism consists of a cam 21, a lever 22 having a contact point 23, and a fixed contact point 21. The lever 23 cooperates with the cam which separates the contact points at proper time for ignition. This cam is timed so as to operate in proper timing with the releasmg of the latch so that the maximum current is developed through the action of the spring at the proper time relative to separating the contacts for producing the spark. It is understood, of course, that these contacts are in the circuit of the primary coil when the device applied to a high tension magneto or generator.

I have also provided means for rendering the retarding or stopping mechanism for the driven member inoperative when the armature shaft reaches the proper speed for producing maximum current for ignition purposes. This means consists of pivoted levers 25 and 2G. The lever 25 is pivoted at 27 to the sliding latch and the lever 26 is pivoted at 28 thereto. Each lever has a pro ection 29 which serves as a fulcrum for the lever and the outer ends of the levers are slightly enlarged. These levers rotate with the armature shaft and when the speed of the armature shaft reaches a predetermined point the centrifugal force acting on the outer ends of the levers forces the same outwardly, causing the fulcrum projections 29 to engage the-inner wall of the driven member and this force on the outer ends of the levers brings the latch back to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus withdrawing the latch from any possible contact with the shoulder 20. i

The operation of my device will be apparent from the above description. In starting the engine when it is running at low speed. the levers 25 and 26 permit the latch to drop through its own weight so as to strike the shoulder 20. This retards the driven member and the flu): shifting member to which it is attached. permitting the driving spring 11 to be compressed through the forward movement of the driving stud 9. At the proper time the cam carried bv the driving member will shift the latch so as to release it from the shoulder 20 and permit the spring to drive the flux: shifting member at great speed. thus niodncing ignition ism The other end the latch will then become effective to stop the flux shifting member and automatically release the same so that for each rotation of the armature shaft it will be stopped or retarted twice. This latch mechanism is especially designed for an ignition device wherein two sparks are produced for each rotation of the armature shaft. It will be understood, of course, that if any other number of sparks are produced, then the latch mechanism will be suitably modified so as to bring about a stopping and automatically releasing of the flux shifting member just at the proper time for producing the spark. As soon as the speed of the driving member reaches a predetermined point then the levers come into action to render this retarding mechanism ineffective.

During the running of the engine, if for any reason it is slowed down to a point where the generator would be inefficient, then the retarding or spring driving means for producing ignition current becomes efl'ective.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. An impulse device for an ignition generator comprising a driven member secured to the rotatable part of the generator, a driving member rotatably mounted on the driven member, a reciprocating latch carried by the driven member and having diametrically opposite projections adapted to alternately project beyond the periphery of the driven member when the latch is reciproeated to the end of its motion in that direction, means for engaging either of said projections to hold the driven member from rotation, a spring, means on said driven and driving members for setting said spring at tension by rotating the driving member in advance of the driven member, cooperating means on the latch and driving member for moving the latch to release the driven member after the spring is set at tension and independently centrifugally operated arms acting on the latch to hold the same in neutral position after a predetermined speed of the rotatable part of the generator has been reached.

2. An impulse device for an ignition gen orator comprising a driven member secured to the rotatable part of the generator, a driving member rotatably mounted 011 the driven member, a reciprocating latch carried by the driven member and having diametrically opposite projections adapted to alternately project beyond the periphery of the driven member when the latch is recipro- *ated to the end of its motion in that direction, means for engaging either of said projections to hold the driven member from rotation, a. spring, means on said driven and driving members for setting said spring at tension by rotating the driving member in advance of the driven member, cooperating means on the latch and driving member for moving the latch to release the driven member after the spring is set at tension and independently centrifugally ope 'ated arms pivoted on the latch but fulcrumed on the driven member for holding the latch in neutral position above a predetermined speed.

3. An ignition device comprising a generator having a rotatable flux shifting element, a driven member thereon and a driving menrber therefor, meansfor connecting the driving member to said driven member including an interposed spring, a double ended latch having cams thereon carried by the driven member and slidable radially therein, a fixed abutment adapted to be engaged by both ends of the latch whereby the driven member is held from movement and the spring compressed, devices movable with the driving member for engaging the cams on the latch to move the latch to a neutral position when the spring has been compressed to a predetermined degree whereby said spring may momentarily operate the driven member and centrifugally operated arms pivoted -on the latch but fulcrumed on the driven member for holding the latch in neutral position at a predetermined speed of the driving and driven members.

4. An ignition device comprising a generator having a rotatable flux shifting element, a driven member thereon and a driving member therefor, means for connecting the driving member to said driven mem- 106 ber including an interposed spring having suflicent tension so that said driving and driven members normally turn together in the same timing, a double ended latch slidable radially of the driven member and ro- 110 tating therewith, a fixed abutment adapted to be engaged by said latch twice per R. P.

M. of the driven member whereby the driven member is held from movement and the spring compressed, devices movable with the 115 driving member for releasing the latch when the spring has been compressed to a predetermined degree whereby said spring may momentarily operate the driven member, and c'entrifugally controlled members pivotally 120 connected to said sliding latch for holding the same out of engagement with the abutment when the driven member is above a predetermined speed.

5. An ignition device comprising a gen- 125 erator having a driven member with a sleeve fixed thereto, a driving member having a sleeve fixed thereto, a spring interposed between the said driving member and the driven member and housed within said mem- 130 hers and being of sufiicient tension so that the driten member and the driving member normally turn as one, a radially sliding latch mounted Within said driven member and having a projection extending through an opening in the driven member, an abutment adapted to be engaged by the latch, cams carried by the sleeve of the driving member and adapted to engage the latch to 10 move the same out of engagement With the abutment, weighted arms located Within the drlven member, said arms being pivoted to the latch and having projecting fulcrnms adapted to engage the side Wall of the driven member whereby said arms will hold the latch out of engagement with the abutment when the driven member is moving above a predetermined speed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

- ALBERT ERICKSON.

lVitnesses F. C. MANNING, C. O. PARMELEE. 

